Pearson Sportive

PieterM

Does anyone have experience with this one? Not sure how hard it is. The hill before Brighton looks tough but other than that it looks mostly rolling from the profile. Any tips?

Butterd2

Don't know but I'll be able to tell you on Monday

Gazzaputt

Comments last year were negative towards the route into Brighton and out. Also was only one feed station.

Route itself is harder returning towards London.

PieterM

Indeed, it does seem like an odd choice to go in and out of Brighton.

I read on the website that they have added another feed station.

slowallonian

Watch out for me zig-zagging up Ditchling Beacon.

And the pot holes near Fanny's Farm shop.

The last bit's a bit of a kick in the pants, up to Headley and then Langley Vale, more because it's a bit of a drag than anything.

Did the 75k last year so they're the only bits I know but looking forward to the challenge of the 150 this time around.

Good luck!

PieterM

thanks for the advice guys - see you may be on Sunday!

marcusjb

Out on a 200 miler today and I passed a number of signs for this today down in Ditchling and then again as I went into the Surrey Hills round Rusper, Newdigate etc. - it goes through some great roads.

Hope everyone enjoys it tomorrow and the weather is kind to you.

rplavery

I happened on this sportive as I was out on my local roads south of Crawley. Lots of cyclists out in this area as there was quite a large charity ride also.

I have to say I was very disappointed with the sportive rider who chucked his used Gel wrapper into the hedgerows. I told him it gives cyclists a bad name, but he didnt seem that bothered. I wish I had made a note of his number so I could complain to the organisers.

monnet

I too noticed far too many gel wrappers on the floor. At races, the pre race brief always includes a warning that riders seen dropping litter (not obeying traffic rules etc etc) will be fined, DQ'd or withdrawn. I know it's not feasible to do that in a sportive but I saw too many cyclists doing things that give us a bad name. Glad you got his number.

It was the first sportive I've done for a couple of years (only my third ever). The first two were the London to Canterbury Etape and the Tour of Flanders. I'm not sure I'll be bothering with any again. Well, not in this country. Don't get me wrong, it was well organised and the roads back were great. I was there because I forgot to put my entry in for the Divs, so it was a nice ride with nice company. However, I am back to being mystified as to the purpose of the sportive as a genre in the UK.

PieterM

Thanks to the whole crew for a superbly run event. Nice to see that numbers were up quite a bit compared to last year so more money for a good cause. This event had some of the best feed stations I have seen at UK sportives. The £2 pints at the finish helped as well to leave HQ with a very good feeling

londonlivvy

PieterM wrote:

Thanks to the whole crew for a superbly run event. Nice to see that numbers were up quite a bid compared to last year so more money for a good cause. This event had some of the best feed stations I have seen on UK sportives. The £2 pints at the finish helped as well to leave HQ with a very good feeling

Absolutely agree - no faff at start or end, the feed stations were AWESOME and generally a great day out. My only quibble is whether it's worth going into the centre of Brighton and having the inevitable 20+ sets of traffic lights just to go "oh. a fish and chip shop".

And monnet, I'm sure everyone's got their own reasons, but for me, I enter sportives as challenging training rides and for the fun atmosphere. I'm currently training for the marmotte and find myself getting bored & dispirited on 6 hour training rides on my own. In company, though, my competitive spirit comes out and I push myself harder.

west green

My first Sportive, and my first 150k, so great to make it to the finish line. Great day, in spite of the wind, but fuelled up plenty at the food stops and with only 3 incidents (chain drop, 1 x not sure I was going the right way, and 1 dropped water bottle - don't worry I stopped and picked it up), managed to scrape in at a minute over 7 hours. Echo the above, definitely prefer cycling with others, for the camaraderie and the mini competition here and there, which spurs you on to a much better time than solo cycling. Had been training for about a month before hand, but only around 26miles a time, so I felt this in my knees and rear, but apart from that recovery has been pretty good a day on.

Butterd2

+1 to most of the above. Great day out, well organised and I'll be back next year. I set out with some colleagues but dropped them both ways so it was nice to have others around for a bit of company, motivation, a tow or even a little SCR.